Crab-Scorpion War
The Crab-Scorpion War began following Kisada's return to Ningen-do in 1166. Instigation There was open hostility between the Scorpion and Crab Clans, partly due to Kisada's actions when Bayushi Shoju tried to overthrow the Hantei dynasty in Kisada's original life. Scorpion Clan Champion Bayushi Paneki decided that in the wake of the War of Spirits, it would be best if Kisada was returned to the spirit realms rather than to be allowed to meddle in the affairs of mortals. In 1167 Paneki and Shosuro Yudoka began to plan the death of Kisada. Age of the Lotus, by Rich Wulf Several skirmishes between the Scorpion and Crab scouts along their southern border had already happened. News of Rokugan, Circa Lotus Edition (Imperial Herald v2#17), by Rich Wulf Dragon at Bay The Dragon Clan had been the ally of the Scorpion before its return from the Burning Sands, Sword of the Sun (Fire and Shadow flavor) and the Crab had a risk of a second front. The threat posed by a Shadowlands ambassador within the Empire when the Empire had no such representation among their number, was unacceptable to Satsu. In 1168 the Dragon Clan Champion ordered that it must be a Dragon, Mirumoto Taishuu, as an ambassador of the Empire in the Daigotsu's court. Taishuu made several arrangements with the Crab Clan Champion, Hida Kuon, who allowed him to travel to the Shadowlands. One of them was the promise the Dragon would not intervene in any Crab-Scorpion War. Soul of Darkness, Part 1, by Shawn Carman Retaliation on Assassination Attempts The Scorpion Clan's hostility was evinced by the many assassination attempts on Kisada, ordered by Paneki, which accomplished little more than taking the lives of some of the bodyguards around served Kisada. After the return of Hida Benjiro from the Battle of the Tomb, Kuon ordered him to begin the attacks. Dark Knowledge, by Brian Yoon Kisada was outraged and sent a unit led by Hida Sozen into Scorpion territory. They attacked and burned to the ground villages and farmlands that had no strategic importance, giving the Scorpion the opportunity to take their deserved punishment and felt no need to retaliate. It would made the peasants feel unprotected hurting its production. It marked the beginning of the open hostilities at the Crab-Scorpion War. A Path of Violence (Imperial Herald v2#20), by Shawn Carman and Rusty Priske Scorpion Awared Before the attacks the Scorpion already had been prepared for the retaliation. They had placed a Shosuro representative in each of the villages along the Crab border, in order to maintain watch. These samurai posed as ronin, to not alert the Crab of their interest. These men died during the raids, but each sent a report with a villager, with the gathered information before the Crab struck. The attackers thought they were taking the villages by surprise, so did not believe that messages had been sent. The Scorpion knew the raids were being led by Hida Sozen, but they have been commanded by the returned Great Bear. Punishing the Crab The Scorpion had no supplies to conduct an open war, and their defenses were pliable. The famine provoked in 1168 by the Fortune Bishamon had left them undermanned and underfed. The Scorpion conducted the fight in the darkness: their agents retaliated for the Crab's assaults along the southern border, and several Crab gunso were murdered. In this way they maintained a show of force, denying the Crab the knowledge of the Scorpion weakened position. A Scorpion's Strength, by Brian Yoon Kisada on the Fight In 1169 Kisada personally took command of Tsuru's Legion Oaths, by Shawn Carman and Rusty Priske and joined the brutal series of retaliatory raids on the Scorpion villages. Peace at the Point of a Sword, by Rusty Priske and Shawn Carman Resolution To end the attacks on their villages, Paneki and Shosuro Higatsuku devised a plan to sate the Great Bear's thirst for revenge. Higatsuku was sent to intercept Kisada, and explained that it was he who had ordered the attempts on Kisada's life, not Paneki. Kisada killed Higatsuku and led his troops back to the lands of the Crab Clan. Feeling a distraction was needed in order to prevent Kisada from suspecting duplicity, Higatsuku also had given him a scroll with information on the Yasuki family's line of succession. This led to the Third Yasuki War. Known Casualties * Hida Atsumori * Shosuro Higatsuku Category:Battles